These Stunning Moroccan Rugs From The Boucharouite Project Tell A Story

When Calla Haynes paused her namesake fashion line in 2014, she was left with a trove of custom-designed fabrics. Rather than sell them, the Toronto-born designer teamed up with female Moroccan artisans to launch The Boucharouite Project, which transforms her painterly prints into Berber carpets or rag rugs. “The Berber people made these carpets out of old clothes from around the house, so they tell the story of a family,” says Calla. “These rugs tell the story of my history.”

Each rug contains about 20 different types of fabric, and Calla can identify the origins of each one. “I can point to part of a rug and say, ‘These were jeans from Spring/Summer 2014,’ or ‘This pink raw silk was originally used to make my prom dress!’”

Before launching her own label, Calla worked at Rochas and Nina Ricci in Paris. To do her part to help reduce waste in the fashion industry, Calla now collects leftover fabrics from other French fashion houses to use in her rugs. “I can save scraps that would sit in a landfill and support craftspeople who are making something beautiful,” she says.